David DeCoteau speaks about his career

Working on the fringes of mainstream cinema and surviving over twenty-five years in the industry, cult director David DeCoteau helped open the door for the direct-to-video horror movement back in the ’80s — a brand of exploitation cinema reminiscent of the classic genre films of Roger Corman and William Castle. With more than fifty titles under his belt as either director, producer and/or writer, David DeCoteau can be considered one of the most prolific independent cult directors of our generation.

Oddity Cinema: Like many filmmakers in the industry, you started your career working for Roger Corman. How did that happen?

David DeCoteau: I was fifteen years old when I started to write to Roger Corman because I just loved CRAZY MAMA. This film introduced me to New World Pictures and the B movies they were making. His assistant Gale Anne Hurd was kind enough to write me back and when I was going on a trip to Los Angeles at age sixteen, Mr. Corman agreed to meet with me. He was kind and enthusiastic about meeting a fan of his. He said that when I moved to Hollywood to look him up and he’d give me a job. At eighteen I moved, and yes, he fulfilled his promise. I worked on the VFX unit on ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and then GALAXY OF TERROR. During that time Gale Anne Hurd was moved up to producer and was in the middle of SMOKEY BITES THE DUST. They also shot pickups for FIRECRACKER on the back lot, which in reality was an old lumber yard. Roger would show up on the set often in his Lotus Espree. He loves cars. A preshoot for FORBIDDEN WORLD also took place starring JESSE VINT and directed by ALLAN HOLZMAN. It was a great time. In four months, I racked up five credits for my brand spanking new resume.

OC: You were also the only on-staff director at Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment. What was it like being a part of one of the most successful direct to video genre labels?

DD: Charlie liked my work and asked me to come work for him full time. He had a deal with Paramount Home Video (the shrewdest deal in Hollywood) to make thirty-eight movies a year. Charlie had hundreds of titles to choose from. I was given an expense account, a preferred parking spot on his studio lot in East Hollywood and an eight picture deal. I was given my own label TORCHLIGHT to produce and direct eight movies a year. Not bad, eh!

OC: What do you think of the new surge of digital video shot horror movies that have been bombarding the video market?

DD: At first I was kind of shocked by the VERY low quality of the “movies” being made. I had dealt with this head-on at CINEMA HOME VIDEO, a tiny video label I created and owned with my business partner at the time, John Schouweiler. We were so busy with bigger movies, we didn’t even pay attention to the micro budget Shot-On-Video (SOV) productions we had contracted young videomakers to make that the quality ended up substandard. The reputation of the label went south and we closed it up and had to move on to greener pastures. I have not hired any filmmaker since then to make movies for me. When these DV movies reared their heads DeCoteau on the set of his soon to be cult hit Beastly Boyz in 2000 or so, I was weary. My prediction proved right. Charlie had gone DV and his company folded. Both Full Moon and CHV were SOV tits up and both of us regrouped and promised no more SOV until somebody came along with something interesting. A few have, but not many.

OC: You immigrated to Canada a few years back and have been heavily involved with the industry up here. Why the great white north?

DD: Why not. I live a higher quality of life up here for about 10% of the cost of living in L.A. I lived in Hollywood for 21 years and had DONE IT. Most productions have been chased away to places like Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, the UK and Australia. I saw the writing on the wall and jumped ship. The best business decision I have EVER made. It’s been a fabulous six years up here and it has opened up wonderful opportunities for me including co-productions, etc. Also the fact that I can marry up here eliminates the 2nd class citizen status I had in California ever since Arnold vetoed the Gay Marriage bill overwhelmingly supported by the Californians.

OC: Recently, your career has found you once again at the helm of a successful franchise. Did you expect such a response to THE BROTHERHOOD SERIES?

DD: No. THE BROTHERHOOD franchise is a phenomenon. I can’t explain it but it has provided a type of movie that key audiences have not seen. Mainly gay men, teenage girls, straight women and couples. We’ve made four and will make more. THE SISTERHOOD was also had a critical and financial success, so expect a sequel. Careers are like a rollercoaster nowadays. Just hold on and invent your own market. I did and WOW! Rapid Heart has made fifteen movies and we have many more to go.

OC: You have been pretty busy over the past year with THE BROTHERHOOD 4, KILLER BASH and BEASTLY BOYZ. Can you tell us a little about them all?

DD: In a nutshell KILLER BASH is Jeckyl and Hyde at University, BRO4 is SUCCUBUS at a military academy and BEASTLY BOYZ is an all male AUDITION kinda like KILL BILL, HOSTEL and VOODOO ACADEMY all rolled into one twisted, homoerotic grindhouse flick. Bizarre!!!

OC: Tell us about Rapid Heart.

DD: Rapid Heart Pictures was an idea I had after leaving Full Moon when they went SOV. I wanted to try to make homoerotic, non violent, Cinemascope, shot on 35mm movies. I set up shop on my dining room table and started to develop ideas and raise funds. It took off quickly and ANCIENT EVIL: SCREAM OF THE MUMMY was my first venture. It was picked up by NEWMARKET CAPITAL, which had just financed CRUEL INTENTIONS and distributed MEMENTO, and we were on our way. THE BROTHERHOOD was next up and as the saying goes, the rest is history. Much has been written about Rapid Heart and its specific brand of thriller movie and needless to say it has caused a controversy in more ways than one.
OC: With the amount of films you have been directing every year, you are almost on par with prolific Japanese Cult Director Takashi Miike. How many more movies can we be expecting over the next year or so?
DD: Not that many. Maybe two of my own and two director-for-hires. The for-hire jobs really pay well and will allow me to finance, produce and distribute more RAPID HEART
EXTREME films which have already started causing a stir.

OC: Looking back on your career, what were some of your personal favorites in the long list of titles you have directed?

DD: Maybe LEATHER JACKET LOVE STORY and SKELETONS. I never watch my movies. I look forward and never back. I forge ahead with the next movie and realize the future holds many possibilities. I feel so lucky I have made a living in this business since I was eighteen years old.

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For more information on David DeCoteau and his films, visit his official website Rapid Heart Pictures.

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